I would place it right next to the case. If you are paranoid about the card getting inadvertently lost as they rummage through your stuff, then maybe put a rubber band around the case and slip the card under the rubber band.

I also tape my name and cell number on the case in the event they have to call me. The lock on the hard-sided pistol case should have a key or combination that only you have. The checked baggage should have a TSA approved lock.

This is how I flew the last time with American Airlines, and I had no problems. But since there is a huge debate, I looked up the TSA website only to find this:

All firearms must be declared to the air carrier during the ticket counter check-in process.

Not very helpful about exact placement of the card. In fact, all the information on the page seemed more geared to a checked gun case instead of a pistol case located inside checked baggage. So, I e-mailed the TSA for clarification, and this is the answer I got:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding travel with firearms in checked baggage.

On flights that originate in the United States, passengers may transport a firearm in accordance with 49 CFR §1540.111 under the following conditions:

• the firearm must be unloaded;
• it must be in checked, not carry-on, baggage;
• it must be in a locked, hard-sided container; and
• it must be declared to the airline.

If these conditions are met, the airline will place a declaration tag inside the checked baggage containing the firearm. This notice alerts Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to the presence of the firearm if the bag must be opened for inspection.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is required by law to electronically screen all checked baggage that goes aboard commercial passenger flights. If electronic screening cannot verify that a bag and its contents are safe to bring onboard, TSOs will inspect the bag by hand. Therefore, TSA encourages (but does not require) passengers to keep their checked bags unlocked to facilitate the process and reduce the need to break locks.

TSA recommends that passengers place the locked, hard-sided container containing the firearm inside a suitcase or bag before checking it with their airline. This allows passengers to keep their suitcase unlocked, yet to comply with the requirement that the firearm is secured in a locked container.

Passengers may use a hard-sided locked suitcase as the sole container for a firearm; however, this can lead to one of the following complications if a bag requires hand inspection:

• If TSOs can determine from the screening equipment that the bag contains a firearm, they will not open it. Rather, they will make an attempt to locate the bag’s owner and obtain the key or combination so that they can inspect the bag. If the owner cannot be located, the bag will not be allowed onboard the aircraft.
• If the TSOs do not determine that the bag contains a firearm before they open it, they may force open the lock to inspect the bag. Once the lock is forced open, the bag cannot be allowed on an aircraft until it is relocked. TSA will attempt to locate you and make suitable arrangements.

These potential inconveniences can be avoided by following TSA’s recommendation that you pack your firearm by itself in a separate, hard-sided, locked container and pack the container inside your suitcase. If TSOs need to open your bag to inspect it, they will be able to do so without breaking a lock on the bag. Once the TSOs open the bag, they will see the declaration in your suitcase and will not open the locked container encasing the firearm. They will proceed to search the bag, close it, and (presuming the bag is free of prohibited items) will be able to allow it onboard your flight.

We encourage all travelers to familiarize themselves with TSA Travel Tips prior to their trip. Our Web site, www.tsa.gov, has information about prohibited and permitted items, the screening process and procedures, and guidance for special considerations that may assist with preparing for air travel. Passengers can go directly to these tips at www.TSATravelTips.us.

We hope this information is helpful.

TSA Contact Center

So I hope that clears things up about placement of the firearms declaration card when you have a small pistol case inside your checked bag. Of course, if all you have is a big gun case that is being checked by itself, then I don’t think there is any other place to put the card except inside the big, checked gun case.

KSL.com reporting metal detectors at Jazz Game are a great addition.

The people at Larry H. Miller Entertainment Group who run the arena that houses the Utah Jazz and other sporting and concert events have decided to make everyone pass through a metal detector.

To review, if a government building in Utah requires you to disarm, they must provide a locker for your sidearm. For a privately owned business or residence, there is no storage requirement. In Utah, you can carry your sidearm into businesses or residences unless you are asked to leave (to refuse would be trespassing.)

So what they are doing is you voluntarily submit to metal detection. If you don’t, they ask you to leave. If they find you legally carrying a gun, you are asked to leave. Fair enough. I don’t have to buy Jazz tickets. If I really want to see maybe the most eloquent speakers of our time throw a ball through a hoop while sporting the awesomest tattoos on the planet, then I can take the risk that nothing will happen to me or my family between leaving the car, arriving at the game, watching the game, and then finally entering the car. (Actually, that does sound more risky than average since EnergySolutions Arena is in the city.)

I’m wondering what they think this will accomplish. Have there been specific threats to athletes, musicians, monster truck drivers, motorcyclists, staff, or patrons at the arena? If so, there were airport metal detectors before 9-11, so why not have the citizen sheep dog on hand? If not, then why inconvenience everyone? My air travel is less than it used to be because I don’t want to be hassled. I just don’t take the trip, or I’ll pick a closer/longer vacation so I can take the minivan. Seriously. So now I won’t see a sporting event. If I do, it will be on t.v. in my house….while wearing my gun, thankyouverymuch.

By the way, if you don’t subscribe already to their site feeds, you should go over there and do that.

So, reports allege that this man didn’t follow that rule. Apparently police agree that kids asking goofy questions based on a 1980s t.v. commercial doesn’t pass mustard- I mean muster for brandishing a deadly weapon and pointing it at people.

Man, that looks like fun. I am definitely going plan a trip to go rifle golfing at Spirit Ridge.

Why carry a loaded weapon around? Just in case I need it. No, I’m not paranoid. That’s what you call someone who’s afraid of concealed permit holders. I’m simply prepared.

I don’t expect to have a fire, but I have insurance and fire extinguishers just in case. I don’t expect to be in a car wreck, but I wear my seat belt just in case. I don’t expect my little kids to wander off at the park, but I keep my eye on them to be safe.

I got an e-mail the other day that quoted a fine american, MAJ L. Caudill USMC (Ret):

When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone.The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation…and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

Amen.

While the victims won in this situation, police do not recommend fighting back.

In our post 9/11 world, it is ridiculous to think that if you don’t fight back, criminals and terrorists won’t hurt you. They bring a weapon to the crime with the pure intention of hurting you.

I wonder if the reporter is the actual source of the above quote, or some liberal police association, or if it was the actual SLC police interviewed for the piece. Regardless, it is bad advice. Criminals attack weak targets. If they learn from hard experience that in a post 9/11 world there are no weak targets, then maybe crime could be reduced.

Permit revocation reasons shows that permit holders do not use their firearms to commit crime.

Obviously, this will never be 100%, so that’s why the rest of us law abiding citizens are allowed to protect our family from wackos. The founding fathers knew this when they conceived the Second Amendment. Not even our government should be the only ones allowed to bear arms in case it goes wacko also.

***Please pass this on to those in leadership capacities and influence over the decision to support the Utah law which makes concealed firearm permit holders become criminals if they ever carry their defensive weapon in church.***

In light of recent events in Colorado Springs, CO and Lehi, Utah, I feel it is a bad decision to sponsor Utah legislation which makes it a crime for concealed weapons permit holders to bring their defensive firearm into an LDS meeting house in Utah.

In Colorado, a concealed weapons permit holder helped to stop the attack of a mass murderer. In Lehi, UT, no one present had a weapon except the perpetrator since Utah law makes it illegal for a firearm permit holder to go to an LDS church while packing.

In a recent ksl.com news article about the murderer in Lehi, UT, a commenter about the article left this enlightening thought:

“For all of the hand-wringers out there
by Otherjonathon L. @ 5:19pm – Mon Jan 7th, 2008
wanting us to NOT judge Ragsdale, I say this.
Ragsdale pumped four bullets into her torso, ine (sic) into her head, and he was temporarily insane? Not a chance that is ever going to fly. Not a chance. He made the conscience decision to murder her, actually assisinate (sic) her, at a place where she felt most safe. It was an act of premeditated murder. Nothing else. No matter how you hand-wringers try to justify, rationalize, or excuse HIS “bad choices”, he had the presence of mind to plan this out, then carry it out…”

Please note that many people might feel safe at church, but they aren’t safe since criminals do not care about any laws or policies prohibiting firearms in select places. Since it would be unfeasible to set up every Utah meeting house with fences, checkpoints at all gates, armed security patrolling the parking lots and entrances, and metal detectors at each entrance, I would suggest that the LDS church withdraw support for the wording in Utah code 76-10-530.

For example, when I go to church in Idaho, the Church may say no guns allowed, and if someone were to somehow find out that I was legally carrying my handgun with a permit, they could ask me to leave. If I refused to leave, then I could be charged with trespassing. Contrast this to current Utah law which makes me a criminal the second I forget to disarm before entering an LDS church.

Withdrawing support for current wording in 76-10-530 would save face for the church since the Church could still have the policy that no weapons are allowed. Withdrawing Church support for 76-10-530 current wording would allow our legislatures to proceed in changing the law to just make it an offense only if the firearm permit holder is discovered carrying and refuses to leave the premises. (Of course, non-permit holders are already breaking the law and would be prosecuted.)

You can still have the policy that no weapons are allowed in church to satisfied your insurance policies, but at least those of us seriously interested in protecting our families and friends from violent criminals would not become criminals ourselves if the law were to be revised similar to Idaho’s.

If you think about recent shootings, violent criminals attack in convenience stores, schools, churches, and banks. In Utah, I am legally allowed to be armed and defend myself in all these places except an LDS church.

Consider discussing this issue with Clark Aposhian.

Sincerely,
Anonymous member whom you could probably find out who I am by comparing my IP address to IP addresses of those logging in to Ward websites, but who wishes to hopefully remain anonymous since I don’t want my life to be made difficult.